Up to 100 patients and more than 20 members of staff there have been taken ill and non-emergency operations postponed.

Smith said: “I am extremely alarmed by this situation at the main hospital serving my constituents.

“Having visited the hospital in recent weeks with relatives, I was shocked by the lack of cleanliness in some areas, particularly the toilets in Accident and Emergency, which I immediately reported to the staff.

“I fought long and hard to have the full range of facilities retained at Monklands hospital and I was quick to applaud the Scottish government’s decision to make NHS Lanarkshire think again on their down-grading proposals.

“However, I made it clear at the time that our hospital needs investment and improvement.

“The current situation shows a deterioration in standards and that is simply not acceptable.”

The MSP urged the Scottish government to treat the situation as a “matter of urgency” and support a clean-up of the hospital,

NHS Lanarkshire run three hospitals – Monklands, Wishaw General and Hairmyres in East Kilbride.